Lin Yu strolled down the main boulevard of the Open World District, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the polished cobblestones. The air carried the mingled scents of street food and perfume, a familiar sweetness that always made his pulse quicken. Around him, couples walked hand in hand, vendors called out their wares, and children chased each other between the legs of adults. It looked like any ordinary marketplace, but Lin Yu knew better.
His eyes caught movement near a shaded alcove between two fabric stalls. A woman in a red dress was pressed against the wall, her skirt hiked up around her waist. A man stood before her, his hands gripping her thighs as he drove into her with steady, rhythmic thrusts. The woman’s head was thrown back, her moans carrying just loud enough for passersby to hear. No one stopped. No one stared. A few people glanced, smiled knowingly, and continued on their way. This was the Open World, after all—a place where privacy was a suggestion, not a rule.
Lin Yu’s breath caught. He slowed his pace, pretending to examine a display of woven bracelets, but his gaze kept drifting to the couple. The man grunted, buried himself deep, and stayed there. The woman’s body tensed, her legs trembling as she let out a long, shuddering cry. When he pulled out, a streak of white trailed down her inner thigh. She laughed, wiped it with her palm, and licked it off without a hint of shame.
Lin Yu swallowed hard, his mouth dry. The familiar heat spread through his chest, a mixture of envy and exhilaration that he had long since stopped questioning. He should have felt jealous, disgusted, angry. Instead, he felt alive.
“Enjoying the show?”
The voice came from behind him, soft and teasing. He turned to find Su Wan standing there, arms crossed, a knowing smile on her lips. She wore a loose white blouse, unbuttoned low enough to reveal the curve of her breasts, and a short skirt that barely covered her hips. Her dark hair was tousled, as if she had just woken up—or just finished something far more strenuous.
“Wan,” he said, his voice coming out rougher than intended. “I didn’t see you there.”
“Obviously.” She stepped closer, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. “You were too busy watching that little scene. Tell me, did you like it?”
He hesitated, but lying to Su Wan was pointless. She always saw through him. “Yes,” he admitted, the word tasting like surrender.
Her smile widened. “Good boy.”
She took his hand and led him away from the main street, down a narrow alley lined with flowering vines. The sounds of the marketplace faded, replaced by the buzz of insects and the distant trickle of water from a fountain. At the end of the alley was a small courtyard, hidden from view by climbing roses. A stone bench sat in the center, bathed in dappled light.
Su Wan turned to face him, her eyes bright. “I’ve been looking for you all morning. Do you know what time it is?”
“Past noon, I think.”
“Past noon,” she repeated, stepping closer until her body pressed against his. “And I haven’t been touched once today. Do you think that’s fair?”
Lin Yu’s hands found her waist, his thumbs stroking the fabric of her skirt. “Not fair at all.”
“Then fix it.”
She didn’t wait for him to undress her. She pulled the blouse over her head, tossed it aside, and unbuttoned his pants with practiced ease. He felt her fingers wrap around him, guiding him backward until his knees hit the edge of the bench. She straddled him, lowering herself slowly, her breath hitching as she took him inside.
The world narrowed to the heat of her body, the rhythm of her hips, the soft sounds she made against his ear. But even in the midst of it, Lin Yu’s mind wandered. He thought of the couple from earlier, the way the woman had moaned for a stranger. He thought of the other men Su Wan had brought home, the way she described every detail to him afterward, her voice a mixture of pride and affection. He thought of Xiao Wei, who had called him last week to recount her afternoon with a delivery driver, and how he had listened with his heart pounding and his hand moving between his own thighs.
Su Wan’s nails dug into his shoulders. “You’re thinking about someone else.”
It wasn’t a question. He didn’t deny it.
“Good,” she whispered, picking up her pace. “That’s how it should be.”
She came with a gasp, her body clenching around him, and he followed moments later, his release spilling into her. She stayed on top, breathing heavily, her forehead resting against his.
After a long moment, she pulled back and looked at him seriously. “You know the rules of this world, don’t you, Lin Yu?”
He nodded. “I think so.”
“Tell me.”
“Possession is an illusion. Joy comes from freedom. And the only thing that matters is that everyone gets what they want.”
She smiled, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “You’re learning. But there’s more. You’ll understand it better when you see it—really see it.” She stood, retrieving her blouse and slipping it back on. “There’s a gathering tonight at the Silver Pavilion. Zhang Hao will be there. I think you should come.”
Lin Yu’s stomach tightened at the name. Zhang Hao, the man who had taken Su Wan in front of him twice now, who always seemed to be at the center of every scene Lin Yu couldn’t look away from. “Why?”
“Because that’s where the real lessons begin.” She leaned down and kissed his forehead, lingering for just a second longer than necessary. “Don’t be late.”
She walked away, her heels clicking against the stones, leaving him alone in the courtyard with the scent of roses and the fading warmth of her body. He sat on the bench for a long time, replaying her words, the images from the street, the feeling of her skin against his. And despite everything—despite the ache, the jealousy, the confusion—he smiled.
This was his world. And he was exactly where he wanted to be.